? ANIMAL BEHAVIOR CORE The Animal Behavior Core (ABC) provides an infrastructure for investigators to perform the most advanced and innovative functional assessments in rodent models to assist in understanding the origins and treatment of intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). The ABC supports efforts aimed at developing and characterizing novel rodent models of IDD that result from gene identification or gene modification research or environmental exposure studies performed by IDDRC Research Affiliates. Furthermore, the ABC is critical as IDDRC investigators evaluate the functional outcomes of intrinsic (gene-based) and/or extrinsic (surgical, environmental, chemical, or drug-based) interventions.
Specific Aims of the ABC are: 1. Provide scientific, management, and budgeting services to Research Affiliates using animal models for studies of IDD; 2. Provide behavioral testing equipment, research space, and novel testing protocols for investigators that enable state-of-the-art assessment of behavior in rodent models of IDD; 3. Train Research Affiliates and their staff in appropriate testing protocols; 4. Coordinate services across other IDDRC Cores and support development of clinical applications; and 5. Promote the development of additional innovative techniques that can be utilized in conjunction with assessments of behavioral functions in rodent models of IDD.
